AUC HRST Report 2013 by AUYouthProgram

Human Capital, Science & Technology for Development in Africa

Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology

Annual Report 2013

African Union Commission

In this issue Foreword

Education

Science and Technology

The African Scientific, Technical and Research Commission

The African Observatory on Science, Technology and Innovation

Youth Division

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List of Acronymns

This report is a publication of the Human Resources, Science And Technology Department of the African Union Commission. African Union Headquarters P.O. Box 3243. Roosvelt Street (Old Airport Area) W21K19 Addis Ababa Ethiopia Tel: (251) 11 551 77 00. Fax:(251) 11 551 78 44

Cover Image - Nyanza Vocational Centre in Southern Rwanda (c) Graham Holliday

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AAU- Association of African Universities ACP- African, Caribbean and Pacific Group States AfDB -African Development Bank ALC -African Leadership Conferences AMCEN -African Ministerial Conference on the Environment AMCOST- African Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology AOSTI -African Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation, AQRM -Africa Quality Rating Mechanism ASRIC –African Scientific Research and Innovation Council AUC -African Union Commission AU-YVC -African Union Youth Volunteer Corps AYC -African Youth Charter BMZ- Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany. CIEFFA - International Centre for Girls’ and Women’s education in Africa COMEDAF -Conference of Ministers of education of the African Union COMY- Conference of the African Union Ministers in Charge of Youth CPA -Consolidated Plan of Action

EU-AU -European Union mission to the African Union GMES - Global Monitoring for Environment & Security GRC-Global Research Council HLPs -PAU High Level Panel HRST -Human Resources, Science and Technology IPED -Pan-African Centre of Education for Development JICA -Japan International Cooperation Agency MNAUSS -Mwalimu Nyerere African Union Scholarship Scheme NEPAD- New Partnership for Africa’s Development PACTED -Pan African Conference on Teacher Development PAU - Pan African University RECs -Regional Economic Communities STISA -Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa STRC -Scientific Technical and Research Commission TVET -Technical & Vocational Education and Training UNESCO -United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Building a people centered African Union

“Our greatest resource is our people, especially our young population, whose energy, creativity and courage must drive Africa’s renaissance. Investment in their education and training and more generally in science, technology, research and innovation therefore remain critical to drive Africa’s modernization and development in all spheres. In this regard, the role of African business, entrepreneurs and professionals must be strengthened, so that they too contribute to the Pan African vision. Our women must be empowered as a critical ingredient to the continental development” H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Chairperson of the African Union Commission Addis Ababa, 25 May 2013

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FOREWORD

From the Commissioner This document which may seem late is for us a working tool because it reveals the efforts made in our work, our determination to implement the African Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision on the field. Being the department in charge of human capital development (education and training in all its forms, the youth and science, technology and innovation) is a responsibility which gives the sense of pride and achievement of a job well done. Our hope is that next year the activity report of our department is released before the general one of the African Union Commission. We wish to enrich its content but mainly its relevance by trying not to make it look just like a picture of what already exists in order to transform it into a working tool which shall be useful for everybody working with us and around us so as to make the African Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s project move forward. Commemorating gives the opportunity to appreciate the work done in a given period of time. 2013 would have been such an occasion for Africa to revisit the work done so far during the last fifty (50) years marking the existence of OAU turned AU. The evaluation work is easier when having a clear vision; we set good objectives following a calendar. We can therefore easily commit to report on time. The calendar year is on that purpose an interesting sequence. In the beginning of the year, we can do activity prospects, we imagine different scenarios to implement them so that at the end of the year , we can report on the activity. We draw lessons in order to better plan for the following year after committing to correct the mistakes, reinforce the strong points and define more efficient methods. We revisit the foundation lain during the past year just like the happy hunter who visits his traps. In the middle of the year, the exercise for me as Commissioner of the AU in charge of HRST, was to understand the organization and procedures in place, strike a balance and provide the necessary guidance to move forwards because the department is at the center of various flagship projects with continental challenges such as the Pan African University, STISA-2024, the management of the Second decade of Education and the commitments of the African Youth Charter. My team and I have chosen this way to lay the foundation of our common long walk within the African Union Commission.

Thanks to all our technical and financial partners for their invaluable support. I take this opportunity to encourage all my team and appreciate their commitment in conditions that are not always the best. Congratulations to our team which in a meaningful deadline has been able to translate our instructions into a document which speaks for itself. All my apologies to those who will not find here the answers they were expecting in this report. Their suggestions are welcome and shall make us improve next time.

Dr Martial De-Paul Ikounga Commissioner, Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology African Union Commission

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Determining our Global Competitiveness The Department of Human Resources, Science and raising awareness for science, technology and Technology (HRST) is in charge of driving strategic innovation, supporting sectoral research through policy and programs that contribute to the realiza- African Union Research grants pilot project, develtion of the African Union Vision through its three key opment of an African Space policy and strategy, Divisions of Education, Science and Technology among others. In addition, the division is responand Human Resources and Youth Development sible for a Biosafety Project, to support Member Division by supporting the development, har- States in Matters of Biosafety, including the implemonization, coordination and implementation of mentation of the Cartagena Protocol and the appropriate policies in African Member States and African Model Law on safety in Biotechnology. The Commission is also setting up and operationalizaRegional Economic Communities (RECs). tion key Pan-African institutions of science and The Department has a number of regional offices in technology such as AOSTI, Pan-African Intellectual the continent that implement specific programmes Property Organisation (PAIPO) and the African within its mandate. These offices are: The Scientific Scientific Research and innovation Council (ASRIC). Technical and Research Commission (STRC) in Abuja, Nigeria, which deals with technology develop- The Education Division works with African Ministries ment and transfer; African Observatory for Science, in charge of education and other stakeholders to Technology and Innovation (AOSTI) Office in Malabo facilitate the articulation of common educational responsible for STI indicators; Pan-African Centre for priorities, harmonization of education policies, supEducation for Development (IPED) based in Kinshasa, port quality assurance in education systems, and in Democratic Republic of Congo; and the Centre enhance mobility of staff and students across Africa, for Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Education (CIEFFA) based in and the Pan-African University project. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Human Resources and Youth Development Division The Department has launched several programmes also works with the Ministers in Charge of Youth on the continent as highlighted in this report. In Devlopment and other key stakeholders and is science and technology, the programmes include responsible for youth empowerment, youth capacity building, vocational and technical education and training (TVET) and basic education guided by the provision of the Constitutive Act of the African Union that underlines the importance of a united and strong Africa and the need to build partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth and the private sector, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among African peoples. This 2013 Annual report outlines the key challenges and achievements under each division.

Dr Abdul-Hakim Elwaer Director, Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology African Union Commission 8

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Departmental Organogram

African Union Summit

Ministerial Conferences

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Education Division

The Education programmes in the Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology are guided by the Plan of Action for the Second Decade of Education for Africa (2006-2015), which was launched by the AU Summit of Heads of State in 2006, following recommendations by the Conference of Ministers of education of the African Union (COMEDAF). The Education Division is mandated to spearhead the development and harmonization of education policies and programmes on the continent, towards achievement of the AU vision of prosperity, peace and integration. Its activities are geared towards contributing to development and retention of African intellectual capital and human resources through revitalized, quality, relevant, harmonized education systems as well as through intra African networking. These facilitate the contribution of education and research to African renaissance and empowerment of its people to generate Africa-led solutions to challenges in every sector. The Division is also seeks to influence the global agenda and the work of education development agencies in Africa.

Dr Beatrice Njenga Head, Education Division

Several programmes have been developed that include the Pan African University project, the Nyerere Scholarship and Academic Mobility Scheme, the African Quality Rating Mechanism, the Strategy for Harmonizing Higher Education Programmes; the development of Continental Quality Assurance and Accreditation Framework; Teacher Development; and the African Education Observatory.

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FROM L -R: Dr Callistus Ogol, Mr Eric Porgo, Mr. Nazar Eltahir, Mrs Elelta Asmelash, Ms. Caroline Okello, Mrs. Heromen Assefa, Dr. Beatrice Njenga, Mr Jaji Lukman , Mrs Olga Kebede, Mr Keni Kariuki, Mrs. Woudase Abebe, Dr. Yohannes Woldetensae, Mr Alemayehu Wondimu

The Education Team

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Midterm Evaluation of Second Decade of Education for Africa iv. Tertiary education v. Technical and Vocational Education and Training vi. Curriculum, and teaching and learning materials vii. Quality management In February 2013, a Midterm Evaluation of the Second Decade of Education for Africa (2006 to 2015) and post 2015 African Education Consultative Workshop was held in order to assess its progress. The workshop also aimed in finding out methods for accelerating the achievement of the continental plan up to the year 2015 and beyond. Further, it served as a consultative forum for partners and stakeholders to reflect on achievement of Education for All (EFA) and (Millennium Development Goals (MDGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) in education in order to agree on a common front for tackling post 2015 education needs for Africa.

The Education Division under The Plan of Action has seven the African Union Commission areas of focus identified by (AUC) developed the Plan of the Conference of Ministers of Action for the Second Decade African Union, based on the of Education for Africa (2006- report of the evaluation of the 2015), following the AU first decade of education for Summit Declaration launching Africa. These areas of focus are the Decade in January 2006. as follows Since then, the education programme is informed by i. Gender and culture the priorities articulated in the ii.Education Management Plan of Action. Information Systems (EMIS) iii. Teacher development

A critical analysis of the Midterm Evaluation of Second Decade of Education for Africa was presented as a basis for discussions on accelerating achievements of 2015 goals, and providing justification for including Education in African and global post 2015 development agenda. The workshop resulted in an Outcome Policy Briefing Paper for influencing the African consultation processes, the African Common Position and ultimately the global post 2015 development agenda.

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IPED and CIEFFA The Commission is in the process of recruiting staff for the Pan African Institute for Education for Development (IPED) in Kinshasa and CIEFFA in Ouagadougou.

Clearing this debt is urgent for IPED to carry out its important task of the African Education Observatory, and taking charge of Education Management Information Systems, in collaboration with CIEFFA.

Efforts are also underway to get agreement from the 11 members of the original Executive Committee of IPED to facilitate clearing of the outstanding debt of nearly USD 2.7 million. IPED was initially an Institute of the OAU, originally known as the African Bureau of Educational Sciences (ABES). IPED/ABES statutes had been ratified by the eleven Member States: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, DR Congo, Senegal and Sudan. These made regular contributions to ABES/ IPED, although the OAU also made subventions. In transforming ABES to IPED, the OAU closed down several offices and ended contracts of a number of staff. The 2.7 million debts is the total cost to cover separation entitlements for all staff separated from BASE. At the last meeting of the IPED Executive Committee in September 2006, the eleven Member States undertook to clear the debt, although this has not yet been done.

A pilot workshop on the Indigenous Early Childhood Care and Education was scheduled for CIEFFA 9-13 December 2013 in Ouagadougou. The workshop outputs were: i. Develop a joint implementation oversight plan among IICBA, implementing partners and Member States ii. Develop IECCE curriculum implementation timetable in participating countries to provide an expanded option for ECCE provision iii. Establish a coordination framework for each participating country iv. Propose a resource mobilization strategy for further implementation through the design of on-line mode v. Agree on a framework for continuous curriculum update, training and procedure for evaluation

UNESCO General Conference Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga, Commissioner for Human Resources Science and Technology at the AUC attended the UNESCO General Conference, which was held from 7th to 15th November in Paris, France. The discussions held with various officials of UNESCO on key areas in which collaboration is envisaged: i. Elaboration of a clear mechanism for collaboration and communication: On this point it was noted that mechanisms exist which were elaborated in the past but have not been pursued. It was agreed that these will be resuscitated. It was also agreed that there would be more elaborate communication with UNESCO Field Offices in Africa to facilitate mutual collaboration and for the offices to be instrumental in engendering country ownership of the AUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continental programmes. ii. Development of a database of all agencies working in education development in Africa at regional and continental levels. It was agreed that a meeting will be held to bring together these agencies so

as to ensure optimal partnerships for vision-led education development. iii. The Role and Mission of the African School: It was agreed that UNESCO would collaborate with the AUC in developing a conceptual; framework for defining the role and mission of the African school, towards educating for responsible citizenship and social economic development iv Education Management Information Systems: In this area, the International Institute for Education Planning (IIEP) would be a key partner for capacity building v Pan African University vi. Evaluation of the Second Decade of Education for Africa vii. Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation in Africa 2024 viii. Africa + Education project with People TV ix. General History of Africa Continued on Pg 22

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The Pan African University

The Pan African University (PAU) is the culmination of initiatives to revitalize higher education in Africa, developed to exemplify quality and excellence in African higher education, towards the achievement of a prosperous, integrated and peaceful Africa

AfDB 45 Million USD GrantLaunched To Boost the Pan-AfricanUniversity Project, Addis Ababa, 30th October 2013

Three of the PAU Institutes based in Cameroon (Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences), Kenya (Basic Sciences Technology and Innovation) and Nigeria (Life and Earth Sciences, including Climate Change) were operationalized in the 2012/2013 academic year and currently hold some 130 Masters students from 28 member states, on full scholarships that cover return air travel, monthly stipend and tuition fees.

in May 2013. Similarly, MoU’s between the AUC and the Lead Thematic Partners (LTPs) for PAU Instituted in Kenya, Cameroon and Nigeria, which comprise Japan, Sweden, and India respectively, were signed in May 2013. The May summit also approved the launching staff structure of the Pan African University and efforts are on-going to fill up the key substantive positions by June 2014.

Progress was made towards the operationalization the Pan African Institute for Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES). Notable was a curriculum validation workshop held in February 2013 to crown off the curriculum development efforts that began since September 2012. But perhaps more significantly, in June 2013, a 20 million Euros five-year financial support from the German government (BMZ) has been sealed with the signing on the tripartite MoU between the AUC, the Algerian government and BMZ. In August of 2013, the AUC and the AfDB signed a multinational grant agreement in which the letter committed USD 45 Million towards support for PAU institutes based in Cameroon, Kenya and Nigeria, and strengthening the PPAU Rectorate and HRST with staff and equipment, over a 5 –year period. In September 2013, a partner’s

The January 2013 Summit of Heads of State and Government approved the statute of the Pan African University. Host agreements were also signed between the AUC and the Nigerian government and between the AUC and Cameroonian government in January 2013, while the MoU between AUC and the Kenyan government was signed later HRST Commissioner with German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Dirk Niebel & Algerian Minister of Higher Education Professor Rachid Haraoubia HRST REPORT

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EDUCATION

meeting was organized aimed at briefing the partners on the PAU journey so far. A roadmap which outlined the processes involved in transiting from the current interim Rectorate structure to a substantive structure by June 2014.

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In October 2014, the Steering Committee of PAU (precursor to PAU Council) held a meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss the harmonization of the 2013-14 Roadmap. Representatives were drawn from: i. Host Countries; Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon and Kenya

EDUCATION ii. Lead Thematic Partners; Germany, India, Japan, and Sweden. iii. Host Universities; University of Ibadan, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), University of Tlemcen, University of Yaoundé II . iv. Key development partners; African Development Bank (AfDB), European Union mission to the African Union (EU-AU), the Organization for Social Science

Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA), The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Association of African Universities (AAU) and PAU High Level Panel (HLPs). The major challenge for PAU is sustainability of support. Support from Partners will depend on Member States demonstrating their commitment through contributions or assured annual budgetary allocation.

PAU Steering Committee Meeting, Addis Ababa, 29th October 2013

Education Management Information System The African Union (AU)’s review of the status of education on the continent is based on the monitoring of member states’ performance in implementing the 7 priority areas of its Plan of Action for Education in the Second Decade in Africa. The African Union’s Observatory, based at IPED in Kinshasa, hosts this monitoring role. The AU Outlook on Education database is used as the basis to produce the statistics for the biannual continental and Regional Economic Community (REC) review reports which are used to monitor progress made in the implementation of the Plan. A follow up training was held on the Outlook and on Education Management Information System (EMIS) processes, education statistics and indicators

in Harare, Zimbabwe. Some of the objectives of the training workshop were to transfer AU Outlook on Education database module skills to the AUC HRST and AUC Statistics officials; and to raise awareness and visibility to the AUC and its partners. The piloting project for new indicators that was supposed to include 5 countries (2 Anglophone, 2 Francophone and 1 lusophone) was finalized for 2 countries: Burkina Faso and Zimbamwe. The 2 indicators piloted under the project were under the areas of ECD and TVET. The remaining countries for the pilot (Angola, Ethiopia and Cameroon) will do soon.

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Harmonisation of Higher Education in Africa To implement the AU Harmonization Strategy for Higher Education endorsed by COMEDAF III in 2007, the Commission is working to ensure that the Revised Arusha Convention is approved through the appropriate structures of AU. The consultation process with the Legal Counsel to present the Convention to Ministers of Justice is ongoing. The AU Harmonization Strategy for Higher Education is instrumental to facilitate mutual recognition of academic qualifications and enhance intra-African academic mobility. The Harmonization Strategy was endorsed in 2007 by the Conference of Ministers of Education of the African Union. The implementation of the Harmonisation Strategy involves, among others, designing common

curriculum development frameworks to enable comparability and equivalence of learning outcomes in African Universities. In collaboration with the European Commission, a pilot project for developing harmonised university curricula using the European Tuning Approach was finalized during 2013, involving 60 African Universities. They developed learning outcomes and competencies for five subject areas: Medicine, Teacher Education, Mechanical Engineering, Agriculture, and Civil Engineering. A Preliminary Edition is published in 2013 highlighting the African Experience in Tuning and Harmonization of Higher Education. The tuning methodology is a European instrument for implementing the African Union strategy for harmonization of higher education.

African Quality Rating Mechanism (AQRM) The Commission of the African Union development of the African Quality Rating Mechanism (AQRM) to establish an African system that will ensure that the performance of higher education institutions can be measured against a set of agreed criteria, and to help the institutions carry out self-evaluation exercises to support the development of institutional culture of quality. The AQRM holds much prospect for improving the quality of higher education in Africa by fostering the development of internal quality assurance systems in institutions and by providing a means for external validation of quality assessment. The AQRM implementation supports the work of national, regional and continental quality assurance bodies. Based on the experience and feedback gained from the pilot survey conducted in 2010, a revised version of the AQRM questionnaire and rating instrument is developed. An On-line Tool for AQRM survey is

finalized to enable African universities to assess themselves online and submit the questionnaire and their self-rating electronically for efficient processing of the institution’s data. In collaboration with the Association of African Universities, an open call is made to African Universities to participate in the AQRM exercise. For selected Universities, the self-rating of the institutions will be validated by international external reviewers through site visits to the respective universities. The outcome of the AQRM exercise will be published and disseminated to various stakeholders of the academic community. The AQRM will supports African higher education institutions to take ownership of their own quality assurance processes and use the quality rating mechanism as one means of supporting continuous quality improvements and as a tool for strategic planning in quality assurance.

Continental Quality Assurance and Accreditation Framework The development of a Continental Quality Assurance and Accreditation Framework has been initiated as instructed by the January 2013 Summit, Executive Council decision EX.CL/Dec.676(XX). A workshop on Establishment of a Continental Accreditation Agency for Higher Education in Africa was held in Addis Ababa. The meeting discussed possible operational modalities for developing Pan-African Quality Assurance Framework and the creation of an African Continental Accreditation Agency. 18

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In October 2013, a project was launched for “Implementing the AQRM on African Universities and the development of a Continental Quality Assurance and Accreditation Framework” with support of the Joint Africa-EU Strategic Partnership. An open call and Terms of Reference was made for qualified experts to work in a team of two consultants that will undertake the study.

EDUCATION The quality assurance procedures and accreditation mechanisms of several African countries representing the different geographic regions and education systems will be analyzed, with a view to identification of common quality standards and practices The Framework is to be prepared in such a way that it covers the common denominators of quality assurance and accreditation systems in Africa and considers the international good practices. The creation of continent-wide accreditation body will strengthen cooperation in quality monitoring; development of compatible methodologies; harmonization of procedures; and mutual recognition of academic qualifications. Moreover, the

establishment of a Continental Accreditation Agency is vital to guarantee high quality of education provision in the Pan African University and to ensure its international recognition. It is planned to convene a Conference of stakeholders involving national and regional Accreditation Agencies as well as Ministries of higher Education to identify areas of collaboration between quality assurance and accreditation agencies. This will be instrumental to spot comparable practices that create basis for regional and continental harmonization and to establish a Continental Accreditation Agency.

Teacher Development

Participants at PACTED III, Addis Ababa, 16th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 17th July 2013

The Second Decade of Education in Africa recognized teachers as one of the seven pillars of education. In implementing the Plan, the African Union, in consultation with education partners active in the education field on the continent initiated the Pan African Conference on Teacher Development (PACTED) in order to holistically address teacher development issues through a structured framework and a collaborative process. The meeting of the third Pan African Conference on Teacher Development (PACTED III) took place back to back with the first Ordinary Session of the Bureau of the Conference of Ministers of Education of the African Union (COMEDAF V) in Addis Ababa, in July 2013 by bringing together major partner agencies. Participants discussed the issues for development of teachers in Africa.

A roadmap addressing the challenges of quality and quantity of teachers in Africa, as well as a monitoring and evaluation tool were adopted during the the Pan African Conference on Teacher Education. The meeting made some recommendations for consideration by Ministers regarding the PACTED Roadmap and its implementation in each of the focus areas. The Education Division of the AU Commission is actively participated in discussions on post 2015 education global agenda, lobbying for inclusion of Teacher Development, higher education and TVET skills among the key goals. Furthermore, a collaborative agreement is reached between HRST and UNESCOIICBA to promote jointly the implementation of Teacher Development within the framework of the Plan of Action for the Second Decade of Education for Africa. HRST REPORT

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Mwalimu Nyerere AU Scholarship Scheme

The Mwalimu Nyerere African Union Scholarship Scheme was launched in 2007 to contribute to the production and retention of high level African human capital in critical development areas, while promoting regional integration and Pan-Africanism through intra-African mobility of students. The Nyerere Programme is an umbrella framework programme consisting of several initiatives currently including the Core Nyerere Programme; the Africa-India Fellowship Programme and the expanded Nyerere also named ‘Intra- Africa and the Caribbean & Pacific (ACP) Academic Mobility’ Programme. The Nyerere Programme is benefiting young African students from many Member States. Several of the awardees have already graduated.

in the first Call. Monitoring and evaluation missions are undertaken by the scholarship team in selected universities to assess the implementation status of the Nyerere Scholarship, including logistics of tuition fees disbursements and academic supervision of students. As part of a monitoring framework to follow up the academic status of students, students are required to send their academic status report approved by their academic supervisors each semester.

(i) Core Nyerere Scholarship 62 students from 25 African countries have been awarded the Nyerere Scholarship to study in 34 diﬀerent universities across the continent. 37 have graduated successfully. A special scholarship only for female applicants was launched in 2013 for studies at Master’s level to promote active participation of young women. 20 female students were selected

(ii) Africa-India Fellowship Programme Under the Africa-India strategic partnership, the Nyerere Programme has received support for scholarships in the field of Agriculture. The Africa-India Fellowship Programme was started in 2010 to support Agricultural human resource development for African Universities and Research Institutes, through Masters and PhD education in selected Indian Agricultural Universities.

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EDUCATION Eligibility checks were made on submitted applications to facilitate the selection of candidates for study in India. As of December 2013, despite some dropouts and encountered challenges in admission process, a total of 169 African students from 27 Member States have enrolled in Indian Agricultural Universities. So far 41 students have graduated. (iii) Expanded Nyerere or ‘Intra-ACP Academic Mobility’ An expanded programme was developed in 2009 and is implemented with support from the European Commission. The scheme involves mobility of students and exchange of academic staﬀ among selected

Networks of African Universities to strengthen cooperation between higher education institutions across the continent. The Networks have to include Universities from different geographic regions and demonstrate high quality of programmes offered and availability of quality staff and facilities. The third call for this innovative programme was launched in February 2013. Eligibility checks and technical review of proposals from participating universities were undertaken and 15 Networks involving universities from 34 Member States have been selected and are in the process of implementing the academic mobility. The mobility programme is jointly managed by the EC and the AUC.

Beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme (from left to right): Iheanacho, Philip C.; Ezulike, Obinna D.; and Ike, George Ugo HRST REPORT

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EDUCATION Continued from Pg 14

Meetings held with French Ministry for Foreign Affairs and AFD were mostly introductory, and may pave the way for further communication for support in due course.

Further, a meeting will be held with the French Ambassador in Addis Ababa to discuss follow up to the request for support

As a follow-up, a meeting will be held with the UNESCO Liaison office to the AU to discuss the outcomes of the Paris mission, so that an action plan is elaborated.

Other Activities Special Symposiums of the OAU-AU 50 years Anniversary In May, a symposium was held as an official academic side event to the AU Special Summit of the OAU-AU 50 years Anniversary, focusing on the dynamics of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being Pan-Africanâ&#x20AC;?. The conference aimed at discussing the nature of a Pan-African identity and represents a unique opportunity for dialogue between scholars, institutional actors on the topic of Pan-Africanism.

In June, symposium was held on the role of education in African renaissance, and in achieving the Africa we want in 2063. The meeting deliberated to reflect on the future of education, and how it can be revitalized for African renaissance

Participation in partnership activities The Education Division has actively participated in various partnership activities. In January, participated at the General Meeting of Joint Africa-EU Strategy Tuning Seminars. In March, participated at the Info Sessions on the 3rd Intra-ACP academic mobility Call for African Universities that was held in Ghana and Benin. In May, participated at the Conference on Exploring Quality Assurance through the Africa-EU Partnership In June, participated at the Africa-EU Migration, Mobility, Employment and Higher Education (MME) Focus Group Meeting to deliberate the review of the 2nd MME Action Plan. In July, participated at the Experts debriefing meeting on technical review of proposals from participating universities for the 3rd Intra-ACP academic mobility. In September, participated at the Steering Committee evaluation meeting to select successful partnerships of universities. Also participated at the Southern African Development Community Meeting of Senior Officials and Ministers responsible for Education and Training. In September, participated at the UNESCO Conference on Promotion of Culture of Peace in Africa. In November, participated at the Colloquium of the International Graduate School of African Studies in Germany. In November, participated at the Sixth International Policy Dialogue Forum of the International Task Force on Teachers for Education for All and the meeting of the partners of the African Union Commission on PACTED (Pan-African Conference on Teacher Development) in Kinshasa, DRC 22

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Science and Technology Division

The year 2013 was exciting and successful for the Division of Science and Technology and its Offices in Malabo and Abuja. Within its financial programming and planning, the Division implemented a number of programmes aimed at supporting the development, harmonization, coordination and implementation of appropriate policies and common initiatives for deploying science and technology and innovation in Member States and Regional Economic Communities. The Department believes that science and technology can strategically contribute to attainment of the African Union vision of “A peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa, driven by its people, a dynamic force in the global community”. It can be recalled the Act establishing the African Union recognizes the need for Africa to embark on an ambitious and strategic science and technology development programme, aimed at contributing to socio-economic development of the continent and the wellbeing of the African citizens. In this regard, in 2006 in Khartoum and 2007 in Addis Ababa, Assembly of the Heads of State and Government agreed to allocate at least 1% of the GDP to scientific research in Africa with the aim to improve Africa’s technological impact. As a direct response to the favorable conditions for the development of science and technology in the continent, the Commission focuses on a holistic, research driven approach to ‘science and technology for sustainable development’ to tackle issues of poverty, employment, increasing population, greater health risks, food security, depleted natural resources, water and sanitation, energy, environment and climate change among others.

Dr Mahama Ouedraogo Head, Science and Technology Division

The department under the guidance of AMCOST embarked on process of developing continental policies such as the STISA -2024, the African space policy and strategy. It also revitalized both intra-African and international cooperation in STI as a cornerstone to improve Africa capacity and capability to address its developmental priorities.

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FROM L -R: Dr Mahama Ouedraogo, Mr Yayehyirad Kassa, Mrs. Mahlet Teshome, Mr. Hambani Masheleni, Ms. Aguere Yilma, Mrs. Meseret Eshetu, Dr. Monica Ebele Idinoba, Ms. Kedija Seid, Ms Vestine Uwera, Dr. Dereje Belachew

The Science and Technology Team

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Popularising Science and Technology

One of the major focus areas in the implementation of Africa’s science and technology agenda is to bring science to the society and to raise awareness and understanding of the central role of science and technology in our socio-economic development efforts. The Heads of State and Government declared 2007 as the year for launching and building of constituencies and champions for science, technology and innovation in Africa.

AU Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards Programme One of the top programmes for popularising science and technology in Africa is the scientific awards programme, now popularly known as the AU Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards following the AU Assembly renaming of the programme in July 2010. The programme was launched on the African Union Day, 9 September 2008 by H.E President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of the Republic of Tanzania. It is supported by our development partners, European Commission, and the World Academy of Sciences ( TWAS). It is implemented in partnership with Member States at the national level, and with the Regional Economic Communities

(RECs) at regional level. The Commission implements the continental level component. African scientists are awarded monetary prizes and medals for their outstanding achievements in research. The 2013 edition of the Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards coincided with the year-long 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Organization of Africa Unity (OAU), and marked a special occasion to highlight the Commission’s efforts in deploying science and technology as a tool for sustainable development and thus maintaining science and technology on top of Africa’s development, cooperation and political agenda. PanAfricanism and African

PROF. ISABELLE ADOLE GLITHO AKUESON has more than 35 years of experience in development research in several areas of Entomology Science, Award for Earth & Life Science

PROF. YVONNE BONZI PROF. QUARRAISHA COULIBALY LIBONA ABDOOL KARIM’s research taught chemistry at has changed the face Chemistry Institute of of HIV prevention by providing the first effective Ouagadougou University technology, tenofovir gel, from1987-1988), and at that women can use and the Science Faculty and control in order to protect Pharmacy department themselves from acquiring of Abidjan University HIV; Award for Earth & from 1989-1992), Award for Basic Sciences, Life Sciences Technology & Innovation HRST REPORT

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PROF. MICHAEL JOHN WINGFIELD: Basic Sciences, Technology and innovation Category

Renaissance, which is the theme of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the OAU, is also a great testament to the sacrifices made by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, an affluent 20th century advocate of Pan-Africanism, and a founding member of the OAU. Candidates for the 2013 editions competed under two categories (life and earth science and basic science and technology).

The Regional Award is specifically for women scientists. We implement this programme component in partnership with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs). Two prizes each of $20,000 are given to outstanding women researchers per region. Awardees for the 2013 edition were Professors Isabelle Akueson, Yvonne Liboni and Quarransha Abdool Karim.

The national level Award program promotes the participation of young researchers and two prizes each of $5,000 are given to outstanding young researchers in each AU Member State that successfully implements the programme. This national award is jointly conferred by the AU Commission and TWAS . For the 2013 Edition, a total of 23 young scientists received their cash prizes from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

The Continental level Award programme is open to pioneer scientists. The Commission implements this component and gives away two big prizes each of $100,000 to two outstanding African pioneer researchers each year. A jury composed of eminent African scientists presided autonomously over the adjudication of the applications received and, recommend the outstanding scientists for the Continental Prize.

PROF. NABIL A. IBRAHIM: Earth and Life Sciences Category

Continued on Pg 28

“The strong need for potable water in Nigeria and sub-Sahara Africa as stated in one of the MDGs inspired me to establish a research group seeking to identify cheap and readily available adsorbents for micro pollutant removal in aqueous solutions”

PROFESSOR KAYODE OYEBODE ADEBOWALE: Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation Category 26

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During the Summit of Heads of State and Government, in Addis Ababa in May 2013,

“My research career spans over 30 years and focused on developing technologies that increase agricultural productivity while at the same time conserving the natural resource base.”

PROFESSOR ANDRE BATIONO Earth and Life Sciences

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African Union Research Grant

In 2010, the African Union Commission launched the African Union Research Grants Programme, as a competitive financial instrument to mobilize African scientific excellence and promote both intraAfrica and international collaboration in the implementation of priority areas articulated in the Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA). The Research Grant Programme allows researchers from both Europe and Africa to jointly address issues of common interest. It received financing from the 10th EDF IntraACP Envelop of 14.7 million Euros. The African Union in collaboration with the European Commission designed and launched two consecutive calls for research proposals, valued at about 7 million euro each, on the 16th December 2010 and 18th January 2012, respectively. The calls were designed to provide financial support for research in (a) Postharvest & Agriculture; (b) Renewable & Sustainable Energy and (c) Water & Sanitation, with the inclusion of climate change and fisheries in the second call. These two Open Calls for Proposal received enormous response from across Africa and Europe, attracting 234 and 249 applications respectively. Due to limited funding, only 20 lead institutions received a grant ranging from â&#x201A;Ź500,000 to â&#x201A;Ź750,000 to do research in 46 locations of Africa, involving a network of 54 research institutions established between Africa, Europe and New Zealand. It is hoped that this collaborative networks will have important role to play in structuring Africa research capacity and knowledge sharing

and flow. The long term objective of the Research Grant Programme is to establish a sustainable pan-African financial instrument for competitive research grants to support the implementation of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Science, Technology and Innovation agenda. Once adequate funds are mobilised the Commission will launch the subsequent calls. In 2013, the Programme Management Unit, together with some members of the evaluation committee, initiated

The financial distribution across the three thematic areas

monitoring exercise for 8 of the awarded research projects in line with section 5 of the Special Condition in the Grant contract. Monitoring is critical in checking the performance of projects during implementation, and to help the Commission identify strengths and shortcomings and recommend corrective measures where necessary to optimize the intended outcome of the project. The field monitoring visits provided opportunities for the researchers on the project to obtain clarity on procedural matters. At the end of every monitoring visit, a report is prepared, shared with the Institution and the European Commission counterparts. A further follow up based on the report is initiated to ensure that the institution addresses issues raised during the visit. Second installments were also paid up to beneficiaries from the first call. HRST REPORT

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Development of a continental STI Strategy STISA-2024 Following its launch by the African Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology (AMCOST) in 2005, and its subsequent endorsement in 2006 by the AU Executive Council in Khartoum (EX.CL/ Dec.254 (VIII), the Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) built on three strategic pillars namely: (a) capacity building (b) knowledge production, and (c)technological innovation, formed a common framework for advancing science in the continent. The CPA represented a significant milestone for the continent as it articulates Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s common objectives and commitment to collective actions in order to develop and use science and technology through the creation, improvement and mobilization of human skills, infrastructure and promotion of R&D, strengthening regional capacities and enhance collaboration and creating institutional and policy arrangements that enable African countries to harness science and technology. At the behest of the AMCOST Bureau in 2012, The Commission initiated the CPA review process, through a Working Group under the auspices of a high-level panel of eminent African scientists. The High-level panel was appointed by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and was co-chaired by Prof. Calestous Juma and Prof. Ismail Serageldin. The Working Group comprised representatives from the African Academy of Sciences, African Union Commission, NEPAD Agency, African Development Bank, ICSU, UNECA and UNESCO. The NEPAD Agency coordinated the review process in close collaboration with the Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology (HRST).

The year 2013 was therefore dominated by the consolidation process of the reviewed CPA into a strategic document which responds to the broader AU Agenda 2063. In this regard the outcome document, â&#x20AC;&#x153;On the Wings of Innovationâ&#x20AC;?, is the first of the decadal STI Strategies for the continent. The African Union Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024, (STISA2024), places science, technology and innovation at the epicentre of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social and economic development by directly addressing the demand for science, technology and innovation interventions from various impact sectors such as agriculture, health, infrastructure development, mining, security, water, energy, and environment among others. The strategy is anchored on six distinct continental priorities, namely: tEradicate Hunger and Achieve Food and Nutrition Security t1SFWFOU BOE $POUSPM %JTFBTFT BOE FOTVSF XFMGBSF t%FWFMPQ QIZTJDBM BOE JOUFMMFDUVBM DPNNVOJDBUJPO t1SPUFDU PVS TQBDF t-JWF 5PHFUIFS #VJME UIF DPNNVOJUZ t$SFBUF 8FBMUI The implementation of this strategy will take place at all levels: Member States will domesticate this strategy in their National Development Plans, regional institutions, research institutions; and networks and partners will use the STISA-2024 as reference in designing and coordinating initiatives. The Commission, the NEPAD Agency and their partners will continue to advocate and create awareness, mobilize necessary resources and track, monitor & evaluate implementation progress. In October 2013, the STISA-2024 was presented to the AMCOST bureau in Addis Ababa.

Continued from Pg 26

two eminent scientists, Prof. Michael John Wingfield, University Professor and Director of Institute FABI, University of Pretoria and Prof. Nabil A. Ibrahim, Professor of Textile Chemistry and Technology, National Research Centre Egypt received the 2012 Edition Awards. In the same year, Prof. Adebowale Kayode Oyebode from Nigeria, and Prof. Andre Bationo, from Burkina Faso, were recommended for the 2013 Edition Awards 28

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to be given during the 2014 January Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa. The the AU Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards is an annual programme. Please visit our website: www.au.int or Email: scientificawards@africa-union.org for further details and how to participate in the programme.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Science, Technology & Innovation Week

Within the year-long celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the formations of the Union, the AUC set the month of December for ICT, Science and Technology. The Science, Technology and Innovation(STI) Week ran from the 9th to the 13th of December 2013 under the theme of â&#x20AC;&#x153;ICT, Science and Technologyâ&#x20AC;?.

Opening of the Science, Technology and Innovation Week

The importance of science and technology in addressing socioeconomic problems in Africa has long been recognized, even at the inception of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. The adoption, in April 1980, of the Lagos Plan of Action, for the Economic Development of Africa, was a bold attempt to turn around its development fortunes. The following activities took place during the week: Forum on Raising the Profile of STI in Africa: The Forum on Raising the Profile of STI in Africa focused on reviewing the existing initiatives on partnerships and collaborative research, and explored new ways to further strengthen the existing

initiatives, as well as to pave the way to forge new ones. It played a key role in raising awareness on the contribution of Research to Science, Technology and Innovation. Workshop on African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (ASRIC): During STI week the

Commission convened one of the series of workshops on ASRIC as institutional setting for the implementation of the AU Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024. Work on ASRIC started in 2011 when the Commission set-up a regional Taskforce coordinated and

Workshop on African Scientific Research and Innovation Council HRST REPORT

2013

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY convened by African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) to study the matter. This initiative received financial support from Sida and is a direct implementation of the Sirte 2005, Executive Council decision Ex/CL/Dec216 (VII), on the creation of ASRIC. In the course of 2013, the Commission mobilized Research Councils in Member States to conceptualize the creation of ASRIC and the institutional role it has to play on Africa’s research policy nexus. The 7th International Conference of the Africa Materials Research Society (Africa-MRS) which was coorganized with the Division of Science and Technology focused on current and emerging materials research themes, including many of special interest to Africa. The conference defined priorities, challenges, and perspectives for materials research in Africa and globally. Material research is one of the AU flagship programme designed to stimulate value addition to our vast resources in the continent.

Science and Technology Showcase during STI Week

Public lecture by a Nobel Laureate: Prof. Robert H. Grubbs, 2005 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry delivered a public lecture on Catalysis and Sustainability drawing examples from Olefin Metathesis. Fridays of the Commission: Professor Adigun Ade Abiodun, Chair of the steering committee of the African Leadership Conference, delivered a lecture on the contribution of space to the AU Agenda 2063. Science Technology and Innovation Showcase: The STI showcase was organized as a parallel display and exhibition event that ran over the course of the entire week and showcase samples of the achievement of STI on the

continent, including demonstrations of Science and Technology by scientists and innovators, and achievements of Africa’s space programs, Contribution of ICT to Africa’s recent economic growth: The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, in collaboration with the African Union Commission organized a Methodological Seminar during the Science and Technology Week at the UNECA campus. This seminar addressed the contribution of ICTs to Africa’s recent economic growth performance, Implementation of open government data in Africa, and Country science, technology and innovation readiness reports.

Revitalizing EU-Africa cooperation in STI The EU-Africa High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on science, technology and innovation (STI) between the EU and Africa is a key milestone in the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy. Endorsed by the 3rd EU-Africa Joint Summit in Tripoli (29-30 November 2010), and launched in October 2011, the HLPD was established to enhance STI policy dialogue within the framework of cooperation on science and technology of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy. It further serves as a platform for building common understanding, mutual trust and ownership; define and agree on shared priorities of mutual benefit for current and future collaboration 30

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and thus to strengthening the overall cooperation framework in science, research, technology and innovation. The HLPD is supported by its Bureau comprising of: Officials from the African Union Commission; the European Commission; and African and European Union Member States. During 2013, the HLPD bureau met more than 10 times most of which were through video conference. In November 2013, the Bureau organised the 2nd dialogue that was hosted by the European Commission and focused on the role of science, technology and innovation in ensuring “Food,

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

AU-EU High Level Policy Dialog

security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture (including water)” taking into account the crosscutting issues such as innovation/ entrepreneurship, research infrastructures and technical competence building. This step by step identification of priorities for implementation is a practical and ambitious way of kick-starting

implementation of an impactful common challenge shared across the whole partnership. It marks the beginning of gradually setting priorities and triggering implementation. Dr. Sonia Bahri from UNESCO was the keynote speaker, while thematic speakers from EU and Africa were respectively Dr. Joachim von Braun,

Director, Center for Development Research (ZEF) University of Bonn and Dr. Jacques Diouf, Former Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The outcome of the dialogue included conclusions, a way forward and a clear statement that the HLPD will henceforth, determine the priority themes for collaboration in STI within the Africa-EU partnership. These outputs will be tabled to the Africa-EU Summit planned for April 2014. The bureau also revised its TOR to include new members and decided to create an expert working group to draft the short-, medium- and long-term steps and milestones towards the joint implementation of a research and innovation partnership (flagship) between the EU and Africa, in the first priority area of cooperation, “food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture” .

Matters of Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources

Meeting on the draft AU Guidelines on ABS

The Department had been playing a key role supporting member states in implementation of their national and international

obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing to genetic

resources (ABS). In this regard, the process of development of the AU Guidelines for the Coordinated Implementation on the Nagoya Continued on Pg 31 HRST REPORT

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Bureau of the Fifth African Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology

Bureau Meeting of the Fifth African Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology

The African Union Commission (AUC) organised the first bureau meeting of the Fourth African Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology (AMCOST V) from 1st to 4th October 2013, at the AUC Head Quarters. The Bureau discussed among other issues, Consideration of the New AU Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA 2014-2024),

African Union (AU) decisions on science and technology, progress on the development of the Draft African Space Policy and Strategy, regional S&T Initiatives and the RECs reports, consideration on the need for an African Network for Engineering, and considerations of AMCOST V Bureau Ministerial Session Agenda.

the Nagoya Protocol on ABS has been endorsed by the 14th Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). The Assembly has also adopted the decision of the AMCEN on support to the process of development of guidelines and the formal establishment of the African Negotiators on Biodiversity. A Pan African workshop had been organized in October with the participation of ABS focal points, regional economic communities (RECs), stakeholders and resource persons to deliberate the first draft of the AU Policy Framework on ABS which is a critical component of the AU guidelines. The meeting resulted in the expert inputs and further developments of the draft document. Continued from Pg 32

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African Union Space Policy and Strategy

Africa has to build its capabilities in space exploration, constellation programs, earth observation systems, navigation and positioning, satellite systems, communication and education in a global perspective. Space further presents a unique opportunity to foster multi-lateral and intra-Africa cooperation and sharing of enabling infrastructure (including data) in proactively managing, among others, disease outbreaks; our natural resources and the environment; our response to natural hazards and disasters; weather forecasting (meteorology); climate change mitigation and adaptation; our agriculture and food security; peacekeeping missions and conflicts. A Working Group with membership that includes those countries that are members of the African Leadership Conference (ALC) on Space Science and Technology, and those with National Space Agencies and space programmes was set up by AMCOST to develop a policy and strategy on space science and technology for Africa to enable the

continent to exploit its space resources in a more coordinated and systematic manner with the overarching objective of contributing to Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s socio-economic development. The working group became operational in December 2012 following the first meeting that was hosted by the Republic of South Africa. This meeting agreed to develop an African Policy and Strategy on Space Science and Technology. They also agreed on the terms of reference, a roadmap and assigned the members various tasks to work on. The meeting also unanimously nominated South Africa to chair the Working Group. After two working sessions held in Abuja Nigeria and at the African Union Commission, the working group developed the first Draft Space Policy that was presented to the Bureau of AMCOST V in 2013. The working group is currently working on the Space Strategy. The first technical/expert meeting to identify the various thematic areas to be addressed by the strategy was held in December 2013 hosted by South Africa. HRST REPORT

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GMES and Africa

The Global Monitoring for Environment & Security (GMES) Services is an European Earth Observation capability designed to response to global needs to provide services that promote the management of the environment, understanding and mitigation of the effects of climate change and ensure civil security. GMES technical architecture comprises of the space, in-situ observation infrastructure and the information services (applications). GMES and Africa, launched in Lisbon, Portugal in 2007 during the 2nd EU - Africa Summit as a response to the Maputo Declaration of 2006, to develop a long-term cooperation framework (an Action Plan) for the integration and deployment of African requirements and needs in GMES services with a view to promote the development of local capacities (institutional, human and technical) for the access and exploitation of Earth Observation-based services on operational basis for sustainable development in Africa, so that Africa and Europe can jointly solve and address global challengs for examples MDGs, climate change, food security, emergency, and security. The GMES and Africa initiative has been integrated into the First Action Plan of the EU-Africa Joint Strategic Partnership. Both cross-cutting and technical thematic areas have been identified and

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agreed on at the expert level. Cross cutting areas include policy and institutional, infrastructure, capacity building, financial and monitoring & evaluation. The Action Plan will address the following issues: long term management natural resources, water resource management, marine & coastal areas, climate variability & change, natural &human induced disasters, conflict & political crises, food security & rural development; infrastructure for territorial development and health management. As a practical approach to the development of the action plan the Commission agreed with its partners to identify a few thematic areas to work on first. In this regard (i) Marine and Coastal Areas (ii) Water Resource Management and (iii) Management of Natural Resources were agreed upon. Expert workshops for these thematic areas were held and their respective chapters developed. In October 2013, a validation workshop on these three chapters was held with an outcome calling for implementation of GMES and Africa. Implementation of these workshops were facilitated by Bragma with notable participation from the AUC side of DREA, DIE, PS and both African and European experts. Funding was received from the JAES SM.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Participation of the Commission in Partners Activities

The Commission during the course of 2013, participated in a number of initiatives that were organised by various partners that share our collective and strategic vision to promote and advance science and technology in the continent. The following are some of the key events: Global research council in Berlin, 27-29 May 2013 The Commission together with some of its Member States participated in the Global Research Council (GRC) meeting in 2013, in Berlin that endorsed the principles on research integrity and Action Plan for implementing Open Access to publications. Before this event, other meetings aligned within the context of the Africa Research council were organized in the Commission to elect Africa representatives and develop a white paper on Africa common position on Research Integrity and open Access. The Berlin meeting recommended that GRC monitors the progress in implementing the Plan, and decided that one of the two topics for the 3rd Annual Global Meeting

of GRC, to be held in May, 2014, Beijing, China, will be to develop criteria for assessing progress with open access and, on the basis of such criteria, to review the implementation of the Plan. In response to this recommendation, another African Regional meeting was held from 25 to 26 November 2013 in Pretoria, South Africa to review the progress of the implementation of the Action Plan announced in GRC 2013, including actions taken on the suggested activities by the Plan, and concerns identified. The outcome of this meeting is to feed into the final output of the Africa Research council regional consultation.

EU-Africa Collaboration on Science and Technology From 24-28 June 2013 the African Union Commission hosted the week of EU –Africa collaboration on Science and Technology in commemoration of the AU’s 50th anniversary. Within the context of this event, the following meetings took place: - CAAST-Net+ consortium meeting - CAAST-Net+ workshop on EU-Africa bi-regional research cooperation on climate change with impacts on water and food security. - CAAST-Net+ workshop on Research Infrastructures for EU-Africa Cooperation - Bureau of the Africa-EU High Level Policy Dialogue

- Joint Expert Group (JEG8) - Global Science Collaboration: science capacity building for development During this week, the members of the JEG8 joint expert group and the bureau of Africa-EU High Level Policy dialogue (HLPD) on Science met from 27th to 28th June 2013 to consolidate on the way forward for Africa-EU partnership on Science, Information Society and Space and also plan towards the second meeting of the EU – Africa High level Policy Dialogue in November 2013.

Space Security Conference

The Commission took part in two seminars organized by UNIDIR in Addis Ababa, 7-8 March 2013 and in Bangkok on 21 November 2013. The objectives of this seminar were to facilitate the Process for the Development of an International Code of Conduct

for Outer Space Activities. The Commission took the opportunity to disseminate information on the African space policy and reiterated the African position of making space available to all for peaceful use. HRST REPORT

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South – South Cooperation on Science and Technology Nanjing, China, The division participated in the 3rd Workshop and Technical Training Course on South-South Cooperation on Science and Technology to Address Climate Change in Nanjing, China. The objective of the workshop was to discuss how best to disseminate and apply water resources and environmental technologies to address climate change under the South-South cooperation. During the workshop on-going initiatives by different institutions to

address climate change in the water sectors were presented with particular focus on those best practices and technologies available for adaptation, monitoring and management systems to combat climate change. The AUC also took advantage of the workshop to present the STISA-2024 as a way of creating the needed awareness for partners and member states represented at the meeting

The Climate Change and Urban Vulnerability in Africa Project: The Commission, under the EU-Africa cooperation, hosted the Climate change and Urban Vulnerability in Africa -(CLUVA)” project, from 6 - 8 November 2013 in Addis Ababa. The project has 13 partner research institutions across Africa and Europe. The meeting was to ensure that science provide responsive tools to manage climate change risks, reduce vulnerabilities and to improve the capacity for coping with and resilience towards climate change in the continent. It was also to improve the capacity

of African scientific institutions at the national and regional levels to successfully deal with climate change. The conference also finalized discussions on studies conducted to assess risks and vulnerabilities of major urban areas in Africa. These studies focuses on assessing the environmental, social and economic impacts and the risks of climate changed induced hazards likely to affect urban areas at various time frames, floods, sea-level rise, storm surges, droughts, heat waves, desertification, storms and fires.

IFS-AAS Project on Developing an Enabling Scientific Equipment Policy in Africa Inception Workshop Nairobi, Kenya, 6-7 November 2013

The International Foundation for Science (IFS) and African Academy of Sciences (AAS) Project on Developing an Enabling Scientific Equipment Policy in Africa has brought several organisations to work together to build a constituency for change that can address some of the challenges related to scientific equipment.

IFS-AAS and involving a few pilot countries Ethiopia, Ghana and Kenya, has the potential of becoming a nucleus for mobilising a continent-wide policy and programmes to support the uptake of science and technology. It is a critical and important project for building Africa’s capacity to conduct scientific investigation and spur R&D.

The Commission believes that if this project “On Sciences Equipment Policy” is pursued to its last objective it could contribute to the transformation of science and technology landscape in Africa, as it will enhance access and improved passage of equipment to scientists. This will not only boost science on the continent, but will lay a solid foundation to accelerate Africa’s transition to an innovation-led and Knowledge-based Economy. This project, led by

The objectives of this project are to review the effectiveness of science equipment policies, map the national and regional research and policy landscape and to understand how science equipment policy changes might be accomplished are indeed in line with vision of the African Union particularly the Pan-African University Project and the AU Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024.

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2nd WIPO Annual Conference On South-South Cooperation On Intellectual Property And Development in Geneva, Switzerland , 22 November, 2013

The objective of the conference was to report on the inter-regional Meeting on South-South cooperation on Patents, Trademarks, Geographical Indications, Industrial Designs and Enforcement which took place in Cairo, Egypt on May 6-8, 2013. The meeting comprised presentation of the main chapters of the Cairo report followed by discussions and suggestions for improvement and/or amendment. It was the

opportunity for the the commission to note the great interest to the Cairo workshop particularly as it fell within the framework of the implementation of the WIPO Development agenda Action Plan. This forum was also used to brief participants on the progress made so far on the establishment of a Pan-African Intellectual Property Organization.

The African Leadership Conferences (ALC) on Space Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in Accra, 3-6 December, 2013

The ALC meeting is the convergence of space stakeholders across Africa, particularly the space faring countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana, and Kenya. The conference was attended by directors of national space agencies, scientists and lecturers of space related disciplines, private space industry both from Africa and abroad. Issues encompassing research, education, capacity and building and policy regarding space with specific references to Africa were discussed. The objectives

of the meeting were to take stock of the recent developments on space matters in Africa including the presentation of the draft African space policy for input from the participants. The commission also interacted with the ALC with the view to arriving at common understanding on the role ALC may play in the future with the foreseen adoption of the African Space policy and strategy.

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The African Scientific, Technical and Research Commission(STRC), Abuja

STRC is mandated to implement programmes and projects that are guided by the Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action. As of this reporting period from January to December 2013, considerable progress has been made in the implementation of AU projects Dr. Eng. Ahmed Hamdy Executive Secretary Scientific, Technical and Research Commission Abuja, Nigeria

In the implementation of the African Union Science and Technology Framework for the Detection, Identification and Monitoring of Infectious Diseases of Humans, Animals and Plants in Africa that was endorsed by the AU Executive Council EX.CL.766 (XXII) in January, 2013 the STRC developed the concept on the establishment of the African network on Infectious Disease Surveillance. The network is composed of five regional virtual networks linked to Centers of Excellence across the AU five geopolitical regions. The network will be managed by the African Union Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance. The progress made in the implementation of the Assembly decision AU/Dec. 138 (VII) on the need to establish Pan African Intellectual Property Organization (PAIPO) is significant. The AMCOST V (November 2012) mandated the STRC to re-edit/ review the PAIPO documents as well as sort for wider consultation among the stakeholders. This was done by resending the reviewed PAIPO Statute to all the 54 AU Member States and the regional intellectual property organizations, all the concerns raised were incorporated into the document. Realizing the progress made thereon in the implementation of the Assembly Decision, the Assembly of the Head of States and Government of AU noted the offer by the Government of Tunisia

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to host PAIPO (Assembly/AU/Dec.4 (XX)), January 2013 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. STRC has contacted the Government of Tunisia for initial discussion but issue need to be deliberated at Higher Level, the Headquarters as of today is leading the file and the implementation of the Assembly Decision (Assembly/AU/Dec.4 (XX) with the technical support of STRC. AU Project on Documentation and Protection of African Indigenous Knowledge is aimed at the development of an African strategy on the documentation and protection of African indigenous knowledge IK as well as documentation and protection of geographical indications GI. STRC has undertaken a desktop analysis of the GI in the continent and had signed an Memorandum of Understanding with the Center de Coopration Internationale en Recherche agronomique Pour le Developpement (CIRAD) in Paris, France with the aim of assisting in the implementation of the project both technically and financially. Book of African Pharmacopeia; the first edition of the African Pharmacopeia book was published in 1985 and since then there had been progresses made in the field technically and scientifically in other continentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pharmacopeia. STRC has worked on additional 150 plants to be added to the second edition, which is currently under finalized by a consultant.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The African Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation(AOSTI) AOSTI was esablished to be a continental repository for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) statistics and a source of policy analysis in support of evidence based policy making in Africa. Prof. Philippe Kuhutama MAWOKO Director The African Observatory for STI (AOSTI) African Union Commission Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

Strengthening STI capacity at Regional and National Levels AOSTI in collaboration with NEPAD and the Science Policy and Capacity-Building Division of UNESCO trained 42 representatives from six member states (Burkina Faso, Gabon, Niger, Burundi, Senegal, and Ivory Coast) on the implementation of the Global Observatory on STI Policy instruments (GO-SPIN) and STI Global Assessment Programme (STIGAP). This is an initiative led by the UNESCO. AOSTI collaborated with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and convened a training on STI measurement and implication for policy in Africa. 35 participants including representatives from government, Academia and civil society attended the training. AOSTI assisted ECOWAS in the definition and development

phases of STI indicators which underpin the ECOWAS Policy on S&T (ECOPOST) Framework. Representative of the 15 member states of ECOWAS attended the workshop. AOSTI in collaboration with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and UNESCO conducted a training on the role of parliamentarians in STI policy making. Twenty (20) parliamentarians from Ivory Coast (16), Guinea (1), Mali (1), Burkina Faso (1) and Togo (1) were trained. AOSTI has collaborated with the NEPAD Agency in the training of countries participating in the ASTII project. These countries are undertaking R&D and Innovation surveys.

and Innovation (AOSTI) and the United Nations UniversityMaastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) have collaborated in order to run a short course on “the Design and Evaluation of Innovation Policy (DEIP) in African Countries”. The DEIP course has been scheduled for September 2014. AOSTI and the Secretariat of the Parlement Communautaire de la Communauté Economique et Monétaires de l’Afrique Centrale (CEMAC) collaborated and will convene to organize an awareness workshop for parliamentarians of the CEMAC region during their ordinary session in February 2014 in Malabo. The theme of workshop is “STI for development, role of parliamentarians”.

During 2013, the Pan African University (PAU), the African Observatory of Science, Technology Director HRST handing over the AOSTI architectural plan to representative of Equatorial Guinea-, Addis Ababa 27/01/2013

On 27 January 2013, at a side event during the AU Summit, the Director HRST handed over the architectural plans to the host country to manage the bidding process for the actual construction of the building which will host the AOSTI secretariat.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

AOSTI Publications AOSTI (2013), Assessing Best Practices of Science, Technology and Innovation Observatories, AOSTI Working Papers No. 1. AOSTI (2013), Science, Technology and Innovation Policy-making in Africa: An Assessment of Capacity Needs and Priorities, AOSTI Working Papers No. 2 AOSTI (2013), Assessment of the scientific production in the African Union, 2005 – 2010. African Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook, Bibliometric Series 01. AOSTI-ASTII (2013), Monitoring Africa’s progress in Research and Experimental Development (R&D) investments). AOSTI-ASTII (2013), Assessment of the Scientific Production in the African Union, 2005–2010. AOSTI collaborated with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and produced a feasibility study and a business plan for the AOSTI web-platform.

STI Publications Reversed rules and procedures for Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards Africa Union Research Grant Poster - Promoting Science and Technology for Sustainable development

Planned activities for 2014 Some of the planned activities for 2014 Implementation of the 2014 African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards (National, Regional, Continental) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of the African Union Research Grant Enhancing the role of Parliamentarians in the promotion of African STI policy Finalisation and popularisation of the Science technology and innovation Strategy for Africa 2014-2024 Consideration of the African Scientific Research Innovation Council (ASRIC) as institutional arrangement in the implementation of STISA-2024 Consideration of the Pan African Intellectual Property Organisation (PAIPO) as institutional arrangement in the implementation of STISA-2024 Enhancing the operation and functions of the African Research Innovation Council (AOSTI) Development of the African Space and Technology Policy and Strategy and implementation institutional arrangements of related programmes such as GMES and Africa programme. Strengthening the role of regional stakeholders in the implementation of the Science technology and innovation Strategy for Africa 2014-2024 Development of AU Frameworks for Biodiversity, Biosafety, Bioethics, and Access and Benefit Sharing developed

HRST REPORT

2013

Human Resources and Youth Development

The Human Resources and Youth Division aims to strengthen the young people through complete capacity building so as to prepare them for their meaningful contribution in the African socioeconomic renaissance. By harmonizing and coordinating member states as well as bringing together all relevant stake holders, the youth division is mandated to among other functions, use the outcomes and recommendations from all sectors through appropriate training frameworks to strengthen the African Youth. Regarding the achievements of the divisionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programmes and activities, the ratification, domestication and populariazation of the African Youth Charter (AYC) is on-going together with the dissemination of the Decade Plan of Action (DPoA). So far 35 countries has ratified the charter and are engaged for implementation. The training of the 4th batch of the AUYVC was successful and there has been an increase in the number of volunteers deployed successfully. The division has focused on implementation of the various declaration and decisions of the African Union Assembly, including the Malabo decision and declaration. Paramount amongst these is the development and implementation of an African TVET strategy to drive employment and entrepreneurship especially in Agriculture and ICT.

Dr Raymonde Agossou Head, Human Resources and Youth Division

The division continues to build on the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses focusing on the persistent challenges faced especially with regards to limited resources and sustainability of commitments.

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HRST REPORT

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FROM L -R: Syvester Ademola Adesina, Dr Raymonde Agossou, Ian Gabriel Kaliwo, Wonfuelawit Leguesse, Annick-Laure Tchuendem, Prudence Ngwemya, Theresa Watwii Ndavi and Daniel Adugna

The Human Resources and Youth Development Team

HRST REPORT 2013

African Union Youth Volunteer Corps

The Youth Division has embraced volunteerism as a tool towards youth empowerment and aims at promoting volunteerism among African youth. Malabo Summit Decision Assembly/AU/ Dec.363(XVII) urges the department to continue its implementation through the AU-YVC Programme

Some volunteers with trainers and HRST Commissioner during the training in Debrezeit, Ethiopia - May 2013

The African Union Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC) is the African Union’s Initiative for promoting youth capacity building, empowerment and participation in the delivery of Africa’s human development targets and goals through service and skills exchange driven by the philosophy of Pan-Africanism. Through this approach, young people will be meaningfully engaged and will contribute in concrete actions for Africa’s social and economic development.

from within the African Union and the Diaspora, to work in all 54 countries across the African Union. The programme is an initiative, which was built upon the global proposal as a continental project of Africans for Africa and draws inspiration and best

practice from international development experience The AU-YVC Programme Management Unit aims to, within the limit of resources, recruit, train and deploy volunteers every year. The 4th batch training of AU-YVCs

AU-YVC recruits and works with young professionals age 18-35 Volunteers performing an outdoor activity the training in Debrezeit, Ethiopia - May 2013 HRST REPORT

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In the Central African Republic, a country recently rebuilding from a long standing internal conflict, Amira Diallo is one of two AU Youth Volunteers who have put their skills to use in the eďŹ&#x20AC;ort working in collaboration with UNFPA in the Bangui oďŹ&#x192;ce. Together with the Ministry of Youth, Arts & Culture, the Youth Volunteers are increasing access and youth friendly services for adolescents. Part of their responsibilities requires them to assist in the creation of work plans and monitor them on behalf of the Ministry. As one of the few young voices in the organization, their contributions has an added value since they can provide the necessary youth perspective. Their positions are supported through a partnership with the Peace and Security department of the AUC under the post conflict reconstruction process.

In keeping with the commitment to support youth led organizations and platforms, Kenyan Salim Seif Kombo is one of two AU Youth Volunteers assigned to support the revitalized Pan-African Youth Union in Khartoum, Sudan. In his role as Communication and Advocacy Associate with the Pan-African Youth Union, he works to promote the activities of the PYU both on the continent and globally. He is primarily responsible for coordinating and communicating with other youth networks and organisation both at country level and at regional to ensure coordination with the youth agenda. He also works with developing partnerships and coordination with National Youth Councils and civil society organisations.

various organisations across the continent. There has also been an increase in the number of young

professionals deployed throughout the African Union Commission and regional offices. This directly aligns with the mission of the AUC to mainstream young people

Percentage representation of volunteers application & training by RECs

held in May 2013 training in Debrezeit Ethiopia where volunteers who have been recruited were trained in the ideals of the volunteer program. 2013 also witnessed a rise in the number of volunteers deployed to serve in various organisations on the continent. While the number of shortlisted applicants remained constant at about a thousand volunteers per year, there was a 37% rise in the number of volunteers deployed to serve in Head of HR & Youth Division, Dr Raymode Agossou with one of the volunteers

HRST REPORT

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HR & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Volunteer Exchange Programme with Japan exposed participants to collaboration for development between the north and the south, offering the south an opportunity to support the development process and learn from the north (understanding development as a process and not a goal), and offering the north the opportunity to address the some of the challenges that may be a Head of HR&Youth Division, AU Youth Officer and JOCA officials treat to the actual level of development. The Youth Division and Japan Overseas Cooperative The JOCA-AU program present important learning Assoiciation have signed a memorandum of and exposure opportunities for young people as understanding (MoU) in February 2013 to guide the it takes place in Japan, especially as Japan is often implementation of this collaboration program between considered on the reference points in technology Japan and the African Union Commission embedded in and economic development. It an opportunity for young people to acquire new knowledge and skills the vision of moving to bidirectional cooperation. that can help improve their life and the one of their This program is jointly developed and implemented by community. Activities should be organized in way that the Youth Division and JOCA with the support of the fits volunteersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aspirations, community needs, and JOCA Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Japan International and AU vision. Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the cities in which the During the year, two sets of volunteers were sponsored volunteers serve. for this activity. As a result of feedback received from The AU-JOCA collaboration brings volunteers both the participants and the communities in which with international experience together to share they worked, the Youth Division is currently looking skills, knowledge, creativity and learning in order to expand this exchange programe program to to strengthen cooperation, to deepen mutual accomodate more volunteers as the division aims to understanding and to contribute to society beyond build capacity of young people on the continent. boundaries. Participants on this program get to live with host family, interact with host community and work on community service projects that helped establish networks across boarder, gain knowledge, attitudes and values. The focus of the partnership exposes AU-YVCs to Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience with rebuilding post -2011 earthquake and tsunami. Core activities exposes AU-YVCs to community revitalisation agriculture and tourism, cultural exchange and community work. Volunteers worked on the ground in the communities most affected by the Tsunami gaining exposure and experience with using limited resources to build economic productivity. Participants also reported development of skills necessary to build cooperation across borders. The programme

Volunteers in Japan learning from a community revitalisation initiative

HRST REPORT

2013

HR & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

The African Union Commission recognises the need to, as a matter of urgency, advocate for the implementation of the Malabo declaration, which emphasised the need to strengthen TVET especially within the thematic areas of Agriculture and ICT. There is continued advocacy for the recognition of Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a tool to realise the gains from the large workforce on the continent. The African Union Commission recognises the need to, as a matter of urgency, advocate for the implementation of the Malabo declaration, which emphasised the need to strengthen TVET especially within the thematic areas of Agriculture and ICT. These themes are particularly important as, on the one hand, the African continent is home to the largest mass of arable land and, on the other, ICT provides an unlimited opportunity for innovation and employment.

and respect for the environment, and articulation pathways throughout the system. The African TVET Strategy focuses on five key objectives viz: 1. Delivering quality technical and vocational skills designed to meet labour market demands 2. Assist trainees to gain soft skills need to complement training to improve employability 3. Improve coherence and management of training provision 4. Drive support for life long learning to ensure skills are constantly updated as technology improves 5. Enhance status and attractiveness of TVET.

In delivering the commitment to revitalise TVET, the Department of HRST, has traditionally focused on expanding activity particularly in post-conflict regions as a contribution towards the post-conflict reconstruction and empowerment. However, during the year, the team recognised the need to further increase activity on TVET by seeking ways to adopt a cross continental approach to the implementation of these trainings within the framework of the Malabo declaration. Thus, there was the fulfilment of the need to facilitate deliberations amongst stakeholders involved in TVET including educators in technical institutions, ministry officials in member states, developmental professionals working on TVET and young people.

To guide the work done in various member states on the implementation of the African TVET strategy, there is now a Continental Expert Working Group made of TVET experts with years of experience working on vocational education on the continent. This Expert Working Group are to provide technical support for the work the Youth Division does on the one hand and provide technical support to TVET facilitators at both regional and country level on the other hand.

The result of the aforementioned deliberations is the development of an African strategy on TVET, which sets context for understanding the opportunities of relevant skills development and a framework for the implementation of this strategy. The guiding principles that are considered the major drivers of a TVET strategy for Africa are: access and equity, quality, proficiency, and relevance. The others are employability, entrepreneurship, efficiency, and sustainability. The strategy also promotes linkages and partnerships, responsible citizenship, conservation of resources

In the new year, the youth division aims to champion the implementation of this cross continental strategy on TVET. There is an urgent initial need to increase advocacy for this strategy document and ensuring that policy makers in charge of TVET and practitioners on the field align their duties to the recommendations of this strategy. The youth division is also in the process of setting up a specialised desk as the go-to secretariat for TVET matters within the structures of the African Union. It is paramount to showcase models of successful implementation of the TVET strategy. During the course of the year, ten institutions from across the 5 regions shall be selected as reference centres of good practice to serve as models to other institutions on Continued on Pg 50

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HR & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Youth Forum on Accelerating Employment in Africa In response to the need to engage young people in the fight to curb unemployment, the Youth Division, in partnership with the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, organised a Youth Employment Forum on the eve of the 22nd Ordinary Summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

African Union Commission; the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; the International Labour Organisation, World Bank and various civil society organisations working with young people on the continent. Discussions focused on the thematic areas of relationship between government policies and unemployment; education and employability of young people; entrepreneurship development; and the role of the private sector in fighting unemployment.

In 2014, the African Union shall commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Ouagadougou declaration and plan of action on employment and poverty alleviation adopted during the extraordinary session of African Union Heads of States and Governments in September 2004. In preparation for this, there is the need to access the level of implementation made on the Ouagadougou commitments and make recommendations for accelerating youth empowerment on the continent. In response to the need to engage young people in the fight to curb unemployment, the Youth Division, in partnership with the Olusegun

Obasanjo Foundation, organised a Youth Employment Forum on the eve of the 22nd Ordinary Summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This forum, which held on the 29th and 30th of January, 2014, was predicated on the realisation that despite rising macroeconomic growth on the continent, unemployment and working poverty is still prevalent on the continent. The forum, with the theme 窶連ccelerating Youth Employment in Africa, sought to understand the relevance of the various drivers of unemployment and make recommendations for priority actions. Participation at the forum integrated about 250 young people from across the continent; the

Deliberations at the forum led to the inter-generational working lunch with African Union Heads of States and Governments on the 30th of January. The lunch featured attendance from 18 Heads of States and representations from 5 other Heads of States. While committing themselves to acting as agents of change and taking up the challenge of creating employment, the youth representatives at the event charged the Heads of States to make the environment of their engagement conducive to accelerate employment and socioeconomic productivity on the continent. Having noted the contributions of various Heads of States which acknowledged the opportunities for greater interventions as proposed by the young people, the Chairperson of the African Union Continued on Pg 49

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Empowerment through leadership in agribusiness and sustainability

Working with EmPeace Labs, the Youth Division has implemented a pilot capacity building programme for entrepreneurs in agriculture in line with the recommendations of the Malabo Declaration The Agribusiness empowerement programme in collaboration with EmPeace Labs creates an opportunity for young community leaders to develop problem-solving skills, learn from each other, and initiate international collaborations. With the help of local and invited experts, participants search for strategies for reducing poverty in rural communities through employing more eďŹ&#x20AC;ective agricultural technologies and developing various phases of agribusiness. The workshop focused on four key thematic areas designed to assist entrepreneurs make informed choices. These themes are: Agribusiness (best agricultural practices, entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship, business planning and micro financing, and water management). Leadership (various leadership styles and approaches, eďŹ&#x20AC;ective persuasion strategies, women as community leaders, peace and conflict resolution, coaching, Gandhiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, philosophy and legacy).

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Sustainability (long term thinking, understanding links between social, economic and environmental systems, integrated community development, coaching through transitions, advocacy, building networks and alliances.)

Case presentation from participants on specific initiatives to support entrepreneurship in their respective farms. As the workshop is for practicing entrepreneurs in agriculture, it recognizes that participants may have experiences from their activities in their respective countries. To this end, the workshop actively involves participants in the process of learning. In a series of roundtable sessions participants at the workshop discussed these experiences among themselves and with other selected participants of the EmPeace LABS workshop with the aim of noting

HR & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

best practice. Participants were also provided with hands on experiences through visits to local farms, food processing factories, and agricultural research stations. The training also focused on incorporating learning from specific cases, selecting examples of agribusiness projects provided in advance for analysis. We were able to sponsor 15 young people each from various African countries in 2013.

While we recognize that this creates a multiplier eďŹ&#x20AC;ect as these young people go on to become agents of empowerment in their local communities, we are working to increase the number of participants in 2014 to ensure that there is increased impact of this activity in driving agricultural entrepreneurship on the continent. Spotli

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Tanzania Hope Youth Resilience Opportunity Innovation Development(THYROID) - James Sunge The executive director of the THYROID group, James Mbalazi Sunge, participated at the workshop and has since gone on to improve his work especially at community level in Tanzania. From discussions at the workshop, THYROID group has gone on to set up an innovation contest to support university students with great ideas focused on community impact and opportunity creation. The organization has also improved capacity to increase donor and partnership support for initiatives in rural communities. James and his group are also working to improve access to finance for young entrepreneurs by building a network with micro-lending institutions. Finally, THYROID has increased witnessed increased capacity to advise government on empowerment initiatives and access to agricultural land for young people.

Babatunde Iyanda inspecting cotton farm under drip irrigation systems

Babatunde Iyanda The EmPeace LABS 2013 was personally a very enlightening experience. I got to learn a lot in my field of work from the exceptional facilitators. I got the rare opportunity to experience firsthand how truly sustainable agricultural systems work and make a profit under Jain Irrigations systems, thanks to the field trips and farmer visits. I got the opportunity to learn from what Jains company is doing to develop practically my own personal project and how to extend it to my future community development projects. I also got to learn about the philosophy, life and work of Mahatma Gandhi a true icon of our history which has also instilled in me some of his principles to carry out in my daily life and work. Finally, I got the opportunity to meet and learn from the wonderful young farmers and entrepreneurs of which I was able to create new networks and possible future work collaborations with. I would sincerely like to appreciate the African Union, Gandhi Research foundation, Jain Irrigation Ltd., and Arizona State University including all those that made the Workshop possible for the opportunity.

Continued from Pg 47

Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, emphasised the need to support a skills revolution on the continent to ensure there are enough skills to drive the future we want to see. She emphasised the need to build capacity to enusre that the continent is adequately furnished to support the continued growth evidenced by socioeconomic indices on the continent. She recommitted the Commission to actively seek ways to create a platform for collaborative work amongst all stakeholders.

a youth assessment of the implementation of the Ouagadougou in preparation for the Ouagadougou +10 extraordinary summit on employment and poverty alleviation in September 2014. The Youth Division, in collaboration with the Department of Social AďŹ&#x20AC;airs, aims to create a platform for key stakeholders to put together their analysis of the implementation of the Ouagadougou declaration and make concrete strategy proposals to the Heads of States on the eve of the extraordinary summit.

It is expected that the deliberations and outcomes from the Youth Forum on Employment shall guide HRST REPORT

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Junior Professional Officers Program The Strategic Plan of the African Union Commission clearly envisages a future for Africa driven by young people. This is further emphasised in the developmental agenda of the African Union Commission for the next 50 years – Agenda 2063 – which calls for a full realisation of all of the potentials available of the continent. In recognition of the role of young people in building the institutions of the Africa we want to see in the future, the Commission aims to develop a Junior Professionals program, in line with industry standards, to recruit and engage young people to understand the duties, responsibilities and instruments of the AU and train them to champion the vision. The Youth Division is taking the lead on the development of a Junior Professional Program for the Commission. During the course of the year, the Division worked with a consultant to develop a comprehensive conceptual and policy framework towards operationalizing an African Union Junior Professionals Program in line with the AUC’s vision and mandate. The report from this activity is currently being reviewed in collaboration with both the Department of Administration and Human Resources Management and Office of the Legal Counsel who are currently working with the division in the implementation of this program. It is expected that al the modalities for the practical implementation shall be concluded in 2014 with the programme being fully operational in 2015.

Continued from Pg 46

the continent. These institutions shall be selected on the basis of their responsiveness to meet youth empowerment challenges in relations to labour market needs. There shall also be an annual good practice campaign to assist TVET centres take advantage of lower hanging fruits in their quest to respond to skills need on the continent. While the AUC works to revitalise TVET, it is important to recognise that skills development resides within the context of economic production. It is thus important to engage actors in economic production, especially in the private sector, to play a part in building necessary skills. The Department of HRST shall, within the course of the year, create frameworks for cross sector partnerships focused on building a more formidable response to youth empowerment. These partnerships shall focus on: ensuring that educational training meets labour market needs; providing technical assistance to institutions to build capacity; providing financial assistance to institutions to improve facilities; and providing seamless school-towork transitions for young graduates.

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into all of the activities of the AU. The request for young professionals from various departments has increased – indicating a positive assessments by various AUC departments of the work the young professionals are doing. Volunteers deployed to various institutions are contributing towards closing the gap for skilled man power. Volunteers working within the AUC are introduced to AUC tools and instruments which enables them to mainstream youth position to solving African problems in their everyday work whilst contributing to common continental development agenda; The Programme Management Unit of the AU-YVC is currently working to scale up the programme and is striving to mobilise the resources needed.

HR & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Policy Support, Advocacy and Youth Mainstreaming Africa Youth Charter Indicators The concrete development of the AYC charter indicators commenced in 2013 in a bid to monitor and evaluate how well the Charter is being received by member states as well as how well they are accommodating it into their respective national sytems. So far the indicators proposed by a technical consultant have been validated by both youth experts from member states and statistics experts in a validation workshop that was held in August 2013 Abidjan, Cote Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ivoire. These validated indicators went on to be finalized by a selected taskforce team that included the youth division of the AUC, the statistics division of the AUC, AFRISTAT and a consultant. The finalized indicators were then

presented to the Committee of Director Generals of National Statistical Offices for their information during the Seventh Meeting of the Committee of Directors Generals of National Statistics Office of the African Union, from December 2013, Johannesburg South Africa . The next step is to present these indicators to the ministers in charge of youth during the ministerial meeting for their adoption. Once adopted, the indicatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; inclusion strategy into national systems that is currently being developed will follow thereafter.

Legend Ratified and Deposited Signed Not signed Number of Countries: 54 Number of Signatures : 42 Number of Ratifications: 35 HRST REPORT

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HR & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Ratification and Implementation of the African Youth Charter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Good Practice(Kenya) There is continued advocacy for the ratification and implementation of the charter amongst member states. Following the deliberations at the inter-generational dialogue organized by the Youth Division as part of the activities for the 50th anniversary, The Governments of the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Sierra-Leone ratified the African Youth Charter and deposited the instruments of ratification with the Office of the Legal Counsel of the AUC. In line with the recommendations for implementation, the government of Kenya has set up a National Youth Policy to guide the domestication of the charter. The parliament of the Republic of Kenya is also working to pass legislation to mandate all government offices to allocate 30% of their procurement to youth led businesses. The government of Kenya has set up a Youth Fund with over 600million dollars to support over 20000 businesses and train over 200000 entrepreneurs. In 2014, the government is working to facilitate concessionary loans worth 70million dollars to over 100000 youth groups.

Inter-Departmental Working Group The African Youth Decade Plan of Action (DPoA) calls for a continental youth mainstreaming agenda within development targets and programmes on promoting youth empowerment. Achieving successful youth mainstreaming requires cooperation at the inter-departmental level in the AU Commission to leverage for value addition, policy making, monitoring & reporting on its mandate. An Inter-Departmental working group on youth is, thus, required to facilitate the implementation of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Agenda on Youth underpinned in the African Youth Charter and the Youth Decade Plan of Action to prioritize youth cross-cutting goals; enhance the capacity building framework and set the pace for a sustained mechanism for monitoring, evaluation and reporting on progress. This need is further strengthened by the priority 5 of the Commission to mainstream youth in all African Union and continent wide activities. Thus, the Youth Division clearly recognizes that an inter-departmental working group focusing on youth development will accelerate the process of mainstreaming youth as recommended by various strategic documents.

The first step towards the achievement of the interdepartmental working group was reached in 2013. During the year, there was primarily an in-depth review of the implementation mechanism of the AUC instrument on Mainstreaming Youth in the Commission. This was followed by an assessment of mainstreaming efforts within various organisations with The Commonwealth and UNESCO chosen as Best Practice Models, noting the work done by NEPAD on mainstreaming. There were also individual discussions with various departments within the commission advocating for the formation of this group. Following these, the inter-departmental working group shall become operational in 2014 mainly championed by a focal person in ever division in the Commission. This methodology shall be strengthened by a quarterly assessment of the progress accomplished by each department and the level of accountability of the inter-departmental work.

Africa Youth Day Africa Youth Day is an annual celebration designed to promote the increased recognition of youth as key agents for social change, economic growth and sustainable development in all facets of African Society. The adoption of the 1st of November was by Executive Council Decision of the Banjul Summit 2006 DOC.EX.CL./292 (IX). The Africa Youth Day is an occasion to celebrate the youth on the

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continent, opportunity to contribute and channel youth motivation, energy and creativity towards the achievement of Youth African agenda. Following the theme of the 50th anniversary celebration of the founding of OAU/AU and in recognition of the development of Agenda 2063, the Youth Division led the celebration of Africa Youth Day

HR & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT under the theme: Youth United in Action for Vision 2063. This is in clear recognition of the fact that the youth are a vital component of the Agenda 2063 as it links the past, present and the future in order to create a new generation of Pan Africanists that will harness the lessons learnt and use them as building blocks to consolidate the hope and promises of the founding parents for a true renaissance of Africa. The Youth Division working with RECs and Member States made recommendation for the celebration of the African Youth Day at regional and country level. These recommendations had various youth networks disseminate the vision of Agenda 2063 ensuring that these youth networks make contributions towards the strategy document. There were also various online and offline forums and debates aimed at involving young people in the development of the Agenda 2063.

centered on the themes of Pan- Africanism; Youth Participation and Mainstreaming and African Integration and the AUC. Young people were invited to evaluate current successes in socio economic development on the continent, note emerging trends and suggest ways to accelerate growth for the future. This led on to a discussion on the role of young people in the development of the vision of Agenda 2063. Feedback from all of these discussions were shared with the Strategic Planning Department as the contributions of young people towards the development of the strategic document for Agenda 2063. Subsequently, the Youth Division aims to ensure a follow-up of the implementation of the recommendation of young people at these discussions strengthened by the periodic reviews to ensure sustainability and accountability.

On the continental level, the Youth Division organized a panel discussion on the AYD celebration theme. The event, which held in Tunis, Tunisia,

Sexual Health and Family Planning

Recognising the importance of sexual health to the development of young people, the Youth Division convened a pre-conference of young people from all over Africa on the eve of 3rd International Conference on Family Planning in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As a pilot activity addressing the health needs of young people, the Youth Division of the AUC convened a pre-conference of young people from all over Africa on the eve of 3rd International Conference on Family Planning, scheduled to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The pre-conference offrered the young participants the opportunity to interact with High Level Decision Makers, Family Planning Experts, and other stakeholders and highlight FP challenges faced by young people; work out innovative solutions and forge a collective resolve in ensuring that FP and other youth SRHR needs are adequately positioned in the post 2015 development agenda. Working with other partners including The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Plan International, UNFPA and the Southern African AIDS Trust, the youth division aimed to acknowledge and celebrate the progress made in improving the SRHR

of African youth at regional, national and community levels. Moving from this, the conference aimed to project the position of young people, the largest demography concerned with SHRR and Family Planning, in the realization of the various developmental agendas. The outcome presents an opportunity for reflection on key youth priorities for the year 2014. In particular, the following proposals for action are being presented: 1. Disseminate the outcomes of the preconference by collating and analysing key regional youth outcomes in order to use them as a basis to identify regional youth development priorities. The outcome of the analysis beat major regional conferences starting from the ICASA holding in December 2013;

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2. Operationalize the commitments made by AUC and Partners regarding the preconference outcome statement, with specific dates, in order to have them inserted into partnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; programme support to the African Union Commission;

next meeting for consideration. 33. T h e Chair of the COMY IV and Minister of Youth from the Republic of Congo also promised to ensure that the outcomes are taken forward to the level of the youth ministers meeting and to the Heads of State.

3. Operationalize the health related articles of the African Youth Charter

As a follow up to the conference and working on the recommendations, the Youth Division is currently working with various partners working at various levels on youth health needs to accelerate the provision of health services to young people as recommended by the outcome of the conference. This partnership, championed by the Youth Division, includes representation from UNFPA, UNAIDS, Southern African AIDS Trust, The David and Lucille Packard Foundation, International Planned Parenthood Foundation, Plan International, Young Women Christian Association, Africa Population and Health Research Center and the African Women Development Fund. The partnership already has a working group which will meet in the first quarter to draft a program of implementation with the Youth Division as secretariat.

4. A road map towards the COMY V proposed for March 2014 and the World Youth Conference in May 2014 should be put in place building on the political momentum and mileage gained through this youth pre-conference, especially given the involvement of the COMY Bureau. At the Commitments session, each of the five supporting partners of the conference had an opportunity to make specific commitments on how their respective institutions will support the implementation of the youth pre-conference outcomes and action plan.. The AUC Commissioner for Social Affairs indicated that the recommendation made in the youth outcome document for the extension of the Maputo Plan of action will be presented to the Ministers of Health at their

HRST REPORT

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The HRST Team Office of the Commissioner 1

H.E Martial De-Paul Ikounga

Commissioner, HRST

Ms. Chancelle Claudette Bilampassi Moutsatsi

Special Assistant to the Commissioner

Ms. Rahel Mesfin

Private secretary to the Commissioner Office of the Director

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer

Director for HRST

Ms. Kidist Berhane

Secretary to the Director

Mr. Samuel Teshome

Clerk, HRST Registry Office

Ms. Tsehay Degaga

Mail Runner Education Division

Dr Beatrice Njenga

Head of Education Division

Dr Callistus Ogol

Senior Education Expert Division

Dr. Yohannes Woldetensae

Senior Expert Mwalimu Nyerere

Mr. Nazar Eltahir

Program Officer

Mrs. Woudase Abebe

Documentalist

Mr Jaji Lukman

ICT Officer/ Software Developer

Mrs Olga Kebede

Programme Assistant (Mwalimu Nyerere)

Mrs. Heromen Assefa

Programme Assistant (PMU-PAU)

Mrs Elelta Asmelash

Administrative Assistant (PAU)

Ms. Caroline Okello

Secretary, Education Division

Mr Keni Kariuki

Youth Volunteer (Legal)

Mr Eric Porgo

Youth Volunteer (Finance)

Mr Alemayehu Wondimu

Administrative Assistant (PAU)

Mrs Reguebe Kelemu

Mail Runner PAU Science and Technology Division

Dr. Mahama Ouedraogo

Head of Science & Technology

Mr. Hambani Masheleni

SPO Science & Technology

Dr. Monica Ebele Idinoba

Principal Scientific Officer (PMU)

Mr. Dereje Belachew

IT Officer (PMU)

Mr Yayehyirad Kassa

Finance Officer (PMU)

Ms. Aguere Yilma

Programme Assistant (S&T Division)

Ms. Kedija Seid

Secretary (S&T Division)

Ms Vestine Uwera

Youth Volunteer (S&T Division)

Mrs. Mahlet Teshome

Biosafety Expert

Mrs. Meseret Eshetu

Administrative Assistant

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HRST REPORT 2013 Human Resources and Youth Division 32

Dr. Raymonde Agossou

Head of Human Resource and Youth Development

Ms. Wonguelawit Leguesse

Secretary HR and Youth Development

Ms Ngwenya Nonkululeko Prudence

SPO HR &Youth Development

Mr. Daniel Adugna

Consultant on AUYVC

Ms Theresa Ndavi

Program Assistant

Mr Ian Kaliwo

AU-YVC field officer

Mr. Sylvester Ademola Adesina

Consultant

Ms. Annick-Laure Tchuendem

SRHR Consultant

Office of the Previous Commissioner (Till April 2013) 40

H.E Dr. Jean-Pierre Ezin

Ex- Commissioner for HRST

Mr. Claude Akotegnon

Special Assistant for the Commissioner

Ms. Wonguelawit Leguesse

Private Secretary of the Commissioner

HRST REPORT

2013

HRST REPORT2013

African Union Headquarters P.O. Box 3243. Roosvelt Street (Old Airport Area) W21K19 Addis Ababa Ethiopia Tel: (251) 11 551 77 00. Fax:(251) 11 551 78 44